Astronomical and Meteorological Observations made at the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, in the year 1856, under the superintendence of Manuel J. Johnson, M.A., Radcliffe Observer. Vol. XVII. Oxford, 1858. This volume commences as usual with the observations Imade with the transit instrument and the meridian circle. Then follows a catalogue of the stars observed in the year 1856, showing the result of every observation. The number of stars is 1368. The astronomical part of the volume closes with a provisional catalogue of 1481 stars, deduced from the observations made at the Radcliffe Observatory during the years 1854-5-6, reduced to 1860'0. This catalogue, to which allusion has already been made in the Monthly Notices, is designed to comprehend all objects in the heavens beyond the solar system which are supposed to be affected by some physical peculiarity, or to which other circumstances lend more than ordinary importance. In its present form the Catalogue is not a completed work. It merely represents the progress of the undertaking down to the year 1856. The following are the classes of objects which in its ultimate form it is intended to include: 1. Stars above the third magnitude. 2. Stars situated within 6° of the north pole, which can be conveniently observed with telescopes of 4-inch aperture. 3. Stars which are, or are supposed to be, variable, or which present unusual appearances of colour. 4. Stars which are, or are supposed to be, affected by proper motion exceeding o"1 of the great circle. 5. Double stars known to be affected by orbital motion. 6. Stars of whatever magnitude contained in the standard catalogue of the Nautical Almanac, as well as those whose places are used for comparison with the moon. Mr. Johnson has appended to the present provisional Catalogue a list of stars which differ more than 0.5 in R.A., and 4" in N.P.D. from those in the British Association Catalogue. It is plain from the notes which follow this list that the discordancies are in most instances attributable to an erroneous proper motion adopted in the construction of the British Association Catalogue, resulting generally from a comparison of only two determinations. The Catalogue contains a table of variations and epochs of the variable stars, compiled by Mr. Pogson from his own observations, and from the publications of other observers. Determination des Orbites des Planètes et des Comètes. The author first gives a general explanation of the method for determining the orbit of a planet or comet founded upon *"Extrait des Annales de l'Observatoire Impérial de Paris," toms troisième. employing no more observations than the number which is mathematically necessary for the purpose. He then gives a similar exposition of the method employed by himself, which consists in obtaining expressions in a converging series depending on the time, for the geocentric longitude and latitude of the planet or comet, founded on an indeterminate number of observations made during a short interval of time; and then, by means of those expressions, and the results of their successive differentiation, combined with the differential equations for the motion of a body revolving in a conic section, determining the heliocentric distance, and the velocity and direction of motion of the body at a given instant, these being the fundamental circumstances of motion from which the elements are readily deducible. The principle of this method, it will be seen, is the same as that used by Laplace in his solution of the same problem, but M. Villarceau has pointed out and skilfully discussed the various circumstances which render a modification of the form of solution indispensable, and has given convenient formulæ applicable to each particular case. He has also shown how the elements may be rectified by a process of approximation founded on applying successive corrections to the coefficients of the expressions for the geocentric longitude and latitude, the values of these corrections being obtained by the solution of a system of linear equations. The author, at the close of his investigation, gives numerical applications illustrative of several cases of the problem considered by him. Descrizione del Nuovo Osservatorio del Collegio Romano D.C.D.G., E Memoria sui lavori eseguiti dal 1852 a tutto Aprile 1856, del P. Angelo Secchi, D.M.C., Roma, 1856. This volume commences with an historical account of the Observatory of the Collegio Romano. The author then gives a description of the New Observatory, and the principal instruments with which it is furnished. These consist of a meridian circle by Ertel, two feet three inches in diameter, a small transit-circle by Reichenbach, a refractor equatoreally mounted, by Merz, having a clear aperture of nine French inches, and a sidereal clock by Dent. Professor Secchi contemplates devoting the resources of the observatory to the advancement of stellar astronomy. For this purpose the great equatoreal chiefly claims his attention. This fine instrument was first erected in the new observatory in the month of October 1854, and has already done good service in the hands of the distinguished Director of the establishment. The second part of the volume is devoted to an account of the observations made during the period referred to in the title of the work. The first section contains a series of micrometrical measures of double stars with the great refractor, and a comparison of the results with those of other observers. In Then follow, in the second and third sections, observations of nebulæ and clusters of stars, with remarks upon the zodiacal light. The fourth section is devoted to micrometrical measures of Saturn and his rings, and the fifth to physical observations and micrometrical measures of Jupiter and his satellites. the sixth section the author determines the latitude of the observatory, which he finds to be 41° 53′ 53′′ 72. The seventh section contains miscellaneous observations on the spots and temperature of the sun, on selenography and on the colours and scintillation of the stars. The eighth and ninth sections are devoted to meteorological and magnetical observations. In an appendix the author has inserted some cometary and planetary observations; also additional measures of Saturn and observations of the planet Mars. Zweijahrige Beobachtungen der Meisten jetzt Bekannten Veränderlichen Sterne. Von J. A. Č. Oudemans.* In this paper Dr. Oudemans gives the details of observations of most of the known variable stars, made by him at the Observatory of Leyden during the years 1854 and 1855, and part of the years 1853 and 1856. The method employed by him, which is due to Argelander, is founded on a series of comparisons of the light of the variable in each instance with that of certain stars in its vicinity. The paper contains a discussion of the observations of ß Lyra and d Cephei, and the deduction of the definitive results with respect to the epoch and period of each star. The author has also given a graphical representation of the variations of the light of each star, and has instituted a comparison between his results and the corresponding light curves of Argelander and Heis. * Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen, Derde Deel, 4to., Amsterdam, 1856. ERRATUM. Vol. XVIII. No. 5 for March, 1858, page 140, in the Apparent N.P.D. of Irene, Jan. 28, for 77° 20' 36" 84, read 77° 20′ 28′′.83. CONTENTS. Fellows elected On the Distribution of the Solar Spots in Latitudes since the Beginning of the Year 1854, with a Map, by Mr. Carrington New Variable Star (R Sagittarii), by Mr. Pogson On the Value of Neglected Terms in the Ordinary Expression for the 66 Observations of Small Planets and of Donati's Comet, made at the ... Remarks on the Appearance of Comet V., 1858 (Donati's Comet), as Physical Phenomena of Comet V., 1858, as observed at the Cambridge Page I ib. 3 12 16 Mr. Gray, Baron De Forester, Thoughts on the Formation of the Tail of a Comet, by Mr. Waterston ... Observation of the Solar Eclipse, Sept. 7, 1858, by Major Lang Observation of a Solar Spot, by Mr. Williams Stereoscopic Photographs of the Moon, by Mr. De La Rue Astronomical and Meteorological Observations made at the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, in the year 1856, under the superintendence of M. J. Johnson ... Determination des Orbites des Planètes et des Comètes, by M. Vil. larceau Descrizione del Nuovo Osservatorio del Collegio Romano D.C.D.G., London:-Printed by G. BARCLAY, Castle St. Leicester Sq. and Published at the Apartments of the Society, December 7, 1858. 42 43 ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. VOL. XIX. December 10, 1858. No. 2. Dr. LEE, V.P., in the Chair. The Rev. Adam Storey Farrer, Oxford; Wm. Pearce Poole, Esq., Trinity College, Dublin; and were balloted for and duly elected Fellows of the Society. The Astronomische Nachrichten. It may be well to mention for the information of such of the Fellows of the Society as may contemplate subscribing to this valuable periodical, that a new volume (the fiftieth) will shortly commence. The price per volume is fifteen shillings, payable in advance. Two volumes are generally published in the course of a year. Gentlemen desirous of subscribing are requested to send an intimation to that effect to Mr. Williams, Assistant-Secretary of the Society. Letter from Mr. Maclear to the Astronomer Royal. "I herewith send the observations made on D'Arrest's comet. By the same post I forward a copy of them to M. Villarceau of the Paris Observatory, who wrote to me respecting them. "It was a very faint object, partly owing, perhaps, to the line of sight being through the Kloop that separates the Lion's Head from the Table Mountain. When I detected it all light had been excluded from the equatoreal room for some fifteen minutes, otherwise perhaps it might have escaped; and when occasionally I looked during the series of observations afterwards, the image was never brighter than at first. Making due allowance for the low altitude, and the direction along the north edge of the Table Mountain cap, my impression is, that in the search for it hereafter the object-glass should not be less than six or seven inches." |